Henry (sort of) counts as a California guy after spending a year and change at Santa Ana Mater Dei prior to his move to AZ Compass Prep. Either way, The 6-foot-7 wing was one of the most impressive prospects on the floor in Vegas. Henry boasts a smooth left-handed jump shot and is at his best when putting the ball on the floor and stepping back to his right. His impact on the defensive end was that of a rebounder and multi-positional on-ball perimeter defender. Henry recorded two double-doubles on the weekend and nearly averaged one at 21 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.

Developing into a five star prospect who is near the top of the national rankings, Henry has been on an incredible upward trajectory since the first time I watched him with Cincinnati Withrow in Ohio. Henry has come a long way, both literally and figuratively as he’s now found himself dominating for Vegas Elite and set to star for AZ Compass Prep for a second straight season. Maybe the skill Henry has improved the most is his rebounding as his older brother was a top wide receiver prospect in the country, Demarcus has improved his toughness and hands and has become one of the best rebounders for his height in the class. It’s rare to see such a gifted perimeter shot maker also take pride in the rebounding aspect of the game but Henry is an exception. After starting the game slow, Henry started to take over in the second half as Vegas Elite pulled away from PSA Cardinals to get a key opening day win to pool play.

DeMarcus Henry was one of the more notable prospects in the gym at the Prep Hoops Bash in the Desert. He is a talented and instinctual forward who imposes his size and physicality to put defenders on their heels. He is also capable of shooting right over most defenders, and he is certainly a threat to rise up and throw down a dunk. On the defensive end, he is not an easy player to get around, and his wingspan helps him contain opponents and limit their production.

Long, lanky five-star forward who impacted the game on both ends this past weekend. Moves like a guard and creates off the dribble with that same fluidity—at 6’7 with a versatile offensive arsenal, he’s a matchup problem for any team on any night. Disrupted defensively with his length, showing the ability to switch onto the perimeter while also protecting the interior and consistently contesting shots. Offensively, attacked with confidence from the perimeter, using his stride and length to get downhill and finish over defenders. Demonstrated a strong understanding of mismatches, routinely sealing smaller defenders in the post and scoring over the top with ease.

Henry is a player I’ve seen since before his freshman year in Ohio and he has taken significant strides in his game the past few years. I think maybe the biggest aspect of his game that’s improved has been his interior scoring. Becoming a willing cutter off the ball, not getting pushed off his driving angle and finishing with both hands, Henry got some easy ones at the rim to help improve the floor of what his offensive production can be. While I liked him showing me the basics, Henry also had a nasty pull-up 3-pointer and led the game in rebounds with 10. One of the top wings in the 2027 class nationally, Henry is on a significant upward trajectory right now.

The last Cincinnati area prospect of the article, Henry played a few games for Cincinnati Withrow during his freshman season before bouncing around and landing at Mater Dei for his Sophomore campaign. Henry also won the 15 U Peach Jam title for Team Why Not and will attend AZ Compass Prep, one of the top prep schools in the country for his Junior season. Henry has continued to see his stock rise as he gets more comfortable growing into his body. Henry has earned national recognition for his play and has numerous high majors recruiting him. Ohio State has secured a commitment from his older brother, a 5 star wide receiver.

Team Why Not is one of the most impressive 16 U teams I’ve seen this year with like 7 guys who can really hurt you on any given night. On Sunday, Henry focused on crashing the glass on both ends of the floor and ended with 13 rebounds in just over 22 minutes of action! Henry was opportunistic about crashing the offensive glass and finished a couple easy putbacks with either hand at the rim. Henry has also made strides as a ball handler, looking much more fluid and confident than he was last year at the 15 U level. The next step for Henry will be to be able to provide consistent rim pressure off the bounce and being more assertive on both ends of the court. A ton of upside on both ends of the court for this wing prospect, I think there’s easily another level Henry can reach next year as he continues to improve as a player.